Edmund and Remus
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: Edmund hadn't expected Remus to find anything like this when they went down to the docks.


Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't...

Summary: Edmund hadn't expected Remus to find anything like this when they went down to the docks.

A/N: This story was requested by ScribeofHeroes and is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe. This story coincides with Chapter 29 of _A Light in the Darkness: Veiled_. Enjoy!

**Edmund and Remus**

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"Remus?" I scanned the busy docks, but I couldn't see that Wolf pup anywhere. _Aslan, please don't let him find any more drunk Frogs._ I still didn't understand _when_ Remus and his brother, Romulus, had hit upon the idea of bringing home drunk, singing Frogs to help me feel better but it was a slight improvement over the dead slime- and mud-covered amphibians. Slight, mind. "Remus?"

Blast it all. Where did he get off to now? I couldn't keep the scowl off my face when I finally spotted him standing on top of a stack of crates. Remus' whole body was wriggling when he realized I was looking at him then he looked off to the side of the pier and his ears flattened. I instinctively reached for Shafhelm as I pushed past some Lone Islander merchants. There were guards assigned to the docks, of course, but didn't always mean they would know about trouble in time to stop it. I glanced up at the crates just in time to see Remus jump off them.

Racing to the crates, I found no sign of Remus. Another storm was gathering but I thought I heard growling from…below. I jumped off the pier, landing with a squelch in the mix of mud and sand (good thing that we had been close to the end of the docks) below. Another growl came from behind me. I spun around to see a group of five or six men. Non-descript and worn clothing that could have come from any of the islands marked them only as sailors. Remus stood stiff-legged, head low and ears flattened, in front of them as he snarled. "Let her go! She's not yours!"

I frowned. The Greyback twins, especially Remus, could jump to conclusions about people's interactions (like when they thought they had to protect Kat from Oreius), but this felt far more serious. The men scoffed. The burliest of them with a nose that resembled a flattened tomato sneered. "Get gone, demon, the little poppet be ours now."

A faint, muffled cry sounded from the middle of the knot of men. Cold fury filled me as I realized Remus had stumbled across an abduction. I didn't push back my hood as I trudged out from the shadows. No need to let them know that one of the Kings of Narnia had come across them just yet. "And just how do you explain your choice to skulk beneath the docks instead of walking above like honest men if you are doing no wrong?"

"This be no concern of yours, boy. Get gone!"

One of the other men, this one half as wide as his friend, muttered, "Murder be hard to hide, Marrek."

Marrek glared at him and the other man shrank back. Before anyone could say anything, however, a harsh oath filled the air. Then a girl burst from among the men, her hands were bound in front of her and she was gagged but that wasn't that made my fury turn to ice. The red curls were tangled now and her fine gown was stained with mud and sand, but it was Raisa. "Raisa! Here!"

She turned, tripping over her hem and stumbling but still she ran straight for me. I drew my sword then leapt forward with Remus as Marrek dug meaty fingers into Raisa's curls and he yanked her back. Three of the men charged us, weapons drawn. I would have to thank Oreius for his insistence that Peter and I learn how to fight in any environment, including mud, because it gave me an advantage as the other men struggled to compensate for such treacherous footing. Two of them lay dead at my foot and Remus had savaged the third man's leg to the point he had surrendered.

As I faced the third man who had a knife at Raisa's throat, Remus howled. "King Edmund! King Edmund! They're getting away! They're getting away!"

The man's face paled beneath the dirt and stubble. "King?" He abruptly shoved Raisa at me so I barely shifted Shafhelm in time before I caught her. The man tried to run but Remus jumped on his back, shoving him face first into the mud. Then the Wolf howled and barreled up the beach, chasing Marrek and his thin comrade.

I touched Shafhelm to the back of the man's neck. "Don't move."

Then I carefully sheathed Shafhelm as guards, attracted by the smell of blood, came and took the two living men into custody. Tears were flowing freely down Raisa's pale cheeks and dampening the grimy neckerchief that was serving as her gag. I quickly undid it then used my dagger to cut through the rope cruelly digging into her wrists. Poor kid. I had no sooner freed her wrists than Raisa threw herself against me, hands grasping my tunic as she sobbed. "They were going to sell me! I didn't even know they were there until the big one grabbed me. I was just trying to figure out where I was and I saw some Sisemaalian merchants so I asked them which way to the jeweler's shop because I didn't see any guards and I was so lost. And they didn't know but I thought maybe if I got to the docks, I'd be able to find a guard only I never got past the smithy and they put the gag in my mouth before I could scream or anything. He said he was going to sell me to the Tisroc! Because I have red hair! He said he was going to sell me! He said he was going to sell me!"

I sheathed my dagger then carefully wrapped my arms around the girl's quaking shoulders. Her head only just reached my chest so it was easy to pat her hair. "It's all right, Raisa. Don't cry. No one is going to take you anywhere except home, all right?"

She looked up, her brown eyes shimmering with more tears as her bottom lip trembled. "What if they come back?"

"They won't. I promise they won't." I glared at the two prisoners as they were led away then repeated my promise. "They will never be able to come after you or any other innocent again. Now, I'm sure your lady mother is looking for you, shall we go find her?"

She nodded mutely as if fear had finally stolen away her usual chatterbox tendencies. I felt another twinge of sympathy for Tarrin's little sister. She didn't deserve this treatment especially when she was so close to Cair Paravel. I wrapped my cloak around her then put an arm around her shoulders since she seemed unsteady on her feet but we hadn't taken more than a step when she collapsed, her hand immediately going to her ankle before she flushed as red as her hair and quickly lowered her skirt to cover her muddy ankles and slippers. She must have twisted it when struggling to escape.

I quickly scooped her into my arms and trudged up to the pier. My boots had just touched the solid wood when I heard a shout, "Raisa!"

She didn't say a word as her brother reached us. He looked at me with an unmistakable fear in his eyes. I handed her to him, muttering, "Some sailors tried to make off with her. Remus found them first. Two are in custody. Take her home, Tarrin."

Tarrin gave a curt nod. I looked around as the two left but I didn't see Remus anywhere. _I better check beneath the docks again._ I reached the muddy ground below just as the skies opened and it began raining. Perfect, just bloody perfect. "Remus!" No answer and no sign of him still. I trudged through the mud and sand, still stopping to call for him now and again. Finally, I spotted a grey shape in the distance. "Remus!"

Something moved out of the corner of my eye. I turned, automatically drawing Shafhelm in defense. The thin sailor from before yelped as the sword sliced into his arm. My foot slipped in the mud and he pressed on, swinging an axe at my head. I wouldn't be able to bring Shafhelm up in time. Sliding further in the mud, I grasped my dagger then threw it. The man gurgled as the dagger pierced his throat and then he collapsed.

I struggled back to my feet then retrieved my dagger and cleaned it. I was cleaning my sword of mud when I heard Remus' howl. "King Edmund! Behind you! Behind you!"

I whirled around in time to see a cudgel descending toward me. I threw myself backwards and tripped over the dead man's legs. Landing on my back, I looked up to see Marrek's beefy face warped by a sadistic grin as he stomped toward me. A snarl filled the air just as he swung again and Remus leapt between us, taking the cudgel's hit directly on his ribs. Oh no. Marrek glared at Remus. "You no be getting' in the way, demon." Then he hit Remus in the ribs again.

Remus yelped then snarled. He leapt toward Marrek as I struggled to right myself. As uncaring as if he were swatting a fly, Marrek slammed the cudgel across Remus' head. My Wolf yelped then collapsed. But, he had bought me the time I needed. I lunged and Marrek let out a little gasp as the sword punctured through fat and muscle to sink between his ribs.

I cleaned Shafhelm then sheathed the sword before kneeling next to Remus. He was breathing and whimpered when I touched his head. Yellow eyes glazed with pain looked up at me. "I got him, King Edmund."

"Yes, you did, Remus. Thank you." I picked him up as carefully as I could then carried him up to the docks. I paused long enough to direct some of the guards to collect the bodies. Remus squirmed slightly and I shushed him, knowing that would only aggravate his wounds. Still, I didn't have the heart to growl at him when he decided to lick the side of my face (including my neck and right ear).

Susan's shocked look when she met us just inside the doors reminded me that I was covered in mud and sand. "Edmund. What happened?"

"I'll explain later. Would you send one of the healers to meet us in my rooms? Remus took some bad hits."

"Are you sure he wouldn't be more comfortable in his den?"

I shook my head. "I'm taking him to my rooms, Su." There was a healer and one very confused valet waiting for us by the time I carried Remus to my quarters. Bless Susan. The healer took charge of Remus and my valet decided to take charge of me.

By the time the Faun had ceased happily fretting over me and the state of my clothes and my boots, I emerged from my bedroom freshly scrubbed and wearing some of the warmest clothes my valet could find. Remus was stretched out on the rug in front of the fireplace. He opened his eyes when he heard me and immediately wagged his tail. He struggled to sit up and I hurried over to him. "Lie still, Remus. You know the healer said you had to be still for a while."

"But, King Edmund-"

I used one of Kat's favorite tricks for silencing the Greyback brothers and wrapped my hand around his muzzle. "Remus, no running around and no trying to sit up tonight, understand?"

Yellow eyes blinked at me and I took that as a yes. Letting go of his muzzle, I sprawled on the rug next to him, enjoying the heat radiating from the fire. Remus rested his chin on my chest with a sigh. I had nearly dozed off when Remus spoke, "King Edmund? Is your mate okay?"

I sat straight up. "My what?"

"Raisa." Remus tilted his head slightly, watching me in fascination. "I smelled her and wanted to ask her how come she still lives with her pack if she's your mate."

"Raisa is not my mate. She's not anyone's mate. She's twelve! She's not of age." I scowled at him. "Why do you think she's my mate?"

"Because she talks about you all the time when you're not around."

I dropped my head into my hand with a groan. _I will never understand how his mind works. Never._ "Remus. Never ask about Raisa again. We are not mates. We will never be mates. Peter's the one with a mate. If you have a question about mates, you can ask him. Now, why don't you go to sleep?"

"Are you going to leave?"

I sighed then laid back down. "No. Now go to sleep." Remus snuggled against me then rested his head on my shoulder with a noisy sigh. I pet his thick fur for awhile then dozed off. I woke up once when Romulus nudged my cheek with his cold nose (it had to be Romulus because Remus was still sleeping). The grey Wolf snuggled against me then stretched out his neck so his head lay across my stomach where he could nose his brother's fur.

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Susan opened the door to Edmund's quarters and paused. Her younger brother was sprawled on the rug in front of the fireplace, snoring. His Wolves were pressed against either side of him. She considered waking him but then opted not to. Instead, she plucked one of the thick afghans off the settee and spread it over all three of them. One of the Wolves sleepily opened a yellow eye and then closed it again before snuggling closer to Edmund. Susan smiled slightly then brushed back the black hair falling across Edmund's forehead before she rose and slipped out.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review!**


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